Raylyst Solar, a Czech wholesaler of Chinese solar panels, is Europe’s fastest-growing company, according to this year’s FT 1000 ranking — underscoring China’s dominance of the sector and the failure of local manufacturers to compete. Prague-based Raylyst distributes Chinese solar panels and other photovoltaic equipment in Europe, with Germany now its biggest market, having overtaken the Czech Republic last year.
“I wanted to know whether what these suppliers were claiming was real — I, myself, didn’t know much,” Kameníček says. “It was quite challenging for me, but I was studying a lot by myself about the product and the business, to understand how the market was functioning.” His first contract was with DAH Solar, a Chinese manufacturer seeking a route for sales to Europe.